Welcome to Business-of-One, the biweekly newsletter for people who run the whole show themselves- from customer service to finances.
Every issue, we connect what’s happening in the world to what it means for your business and wallet. We break down financial concepts, flag what’s coming on the tax calendar, and cut through the online hype so you can make smarter decisions.
Good to have you here. Let’s get into it.
The Brief
What’s happening and what it means for your business
- The World Cup just ended: The final was Sunday. 48 teams, 104 matches, and $1B+ in projected economic activity across host cities. Speaking of economic activity, if you freelanced, consulted, or sold anything during the tournament window, those are reportable dollars.
- Deadline coming: 2026 Q3 estimated taxes are due September 15, 2026. If you haven’t set aside your quarterly payment yet, now’s the time. A good rule of thumb: 25–30% of every payment you receive.
- Ask the accountant: What’s the difference between a business and a personal expense when you use your personal cell and internet? We break it down
- Tool we’re testing: Drowning in inbox overload? We may have found a solution.
- The number: 29.8 million. That’s the total count of solopreneurs in the U.S., contributing $1.7 trillion to the economy. That’s 82% of all small businesses, likely without a dedicated finance department. Don’t worry- that’s what we’re here for.
The Big Idea
The World Cup Economy Is Bigger Than Soccer.
The World Cup just generated billions in economic activity across 16 cities in three countries. Vendors, freelancers, consultants, content creators, and one-person businesses all got a piece.
Most people see packed stadiums and unforgettable matches. Entrepreneurs see something else: money moving.
Whenever millions of people focus on the same event, entire micro-economies emerge. Hotels fill up, restaurants hire extra staff, ride-share drivers work longer hours, local photographers book sessions, freelance translators land contracts, social media managers create campaigns and independent designers sell merchandise. Small business owners find customers they never would have reached on an ordinary Tuesday.
The tournament doesn’t create opportunity out of thin air. Instead it concentrates attention- let’s call it: attention economy.
You don’t need the World Cup to benefit from the attention economy. Every year has its own “World Cups-” major conferences, tax season, graduation, Black Friday, back-to-school, elections, holidays, product launches, and industry events. These moments temporarily shift what people are searching for, talking about, and buying.
The businesses that benefit most are the ones that spent months preparing before the opening match.
Success in business works much the same way. By the time everyone notices the opportunity, the preparation has already been done.
Ask the Accountant
A real question from a real solopreneur
Q: What’s the difference between a business expense and a personal one? I work from home and use my personal cell for everything.
A: This is one of the most common points of confusion for new solopreneurs and getting it wrong could mean leaving deductions on the table or claiming things you shouldn’t.
The IRS standard is that a business expense must be ordinary (common in your industry) and necessary (required for your business). If you use something exclusively for work, it’s fully deductible. If you use it for both, like a phone or home office, you can deduct the business-use percentage.
A few examples:
- Home office: If your workspace is 10% of your home’s square footage, you can deduct 10% of rent, utilities, and internet
- Phone: If you use it 70% for business, 70% of the bill is deductible
- Meals: 50% deductible when it’s a genuine business meeting, per the current IRS limitations
The key is documentation. Keep records, note the business purpose, and when in doubt, ask before you claim.
Tool We’re Testing: Notion Mail
Email can easily become a full-time job when you’re a team of one. Notion Mail aims to fix that by bringing AI into your inbox. It can automatically organize emails into custom views, draft replies in your writing style, and help prioritize what actually needs your attention.
If you spend more time managing your inbox than serving clients or building your business, this is one worth exploring. The biggest win isn’t writing emails faster, it’s spending less mental energy deciding which emails deserve your attention in the first place.
Worth testing if: You receive 20+ business emails a day and want a cleaner workflow without constantly switching between apps.
Around the web
Your next watch: We broke down all the health insurance options for solopreneurs.
Stripe said what we’ve been saying all along.
This dog knows math. So if you need help with your bookkeeping, you’ve got options.
Member spotlight
Andre Bradford, Keynote Speaker & Slam Poet
Andre built a business around words, keynote speaking, slam poetry, and corporate workshops that help teams communicate better. Like a lot of creative solopreneurs, the business side came second to the craft. Invoicing, taxes, and quarterly payments weren’t exactly part of the dream.
After joining Collective, Andre got his S-Corp set up, his books in order, and his tax strategy dialed in, which meant less time stressing about money and more time doing the work he actually started the business to do.
Look out for Andre’s full story in an upcoming Faces of Collective highlight.